GAME NOTES: Attempting to extend a five-game win streak, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will meet the Florida Atlantic Owls in a Conference USA matchup at FAU Arena on Thursday.

This will be the first road game for Western Kentucky since early December. The Hilltoppers have won five in a row, and six of their last seven - all in Bowling Green. WKU is just 1-3 on the road, but owns a 3-0 mark in C-USA play so far.

Florida Atlantic is headed in the opposite direction. The Owls have dropped three straight contests, with an 82-58 thumping at the hands of Middle Tennessee serving as the team's latest outing. FAU is 0-3 against Conference USA opponents this season.

Western Kentucky owns a 10-5 all-time series lead over FAU, and that also includes a 5-2 mark in Boca Raton over the Owls. But the last time these teams met, it was the Owls who won, 84-78, in Boca Raton.

Western Kentucky was allowed the opportunity to play the role of ultimate spoiler on Saturday, as the Hilltoppers hosted the freshly minted No. 25 Old Dominion Monarchs. But it was Western Kentucky that appeared more like a ranked team than ODU, as the Hilltoppers opened up a seven-point lead at halftime, and then coasted to a 72-65 victory in the second period. George Fant was the main reason for the upset victory, as the forward tallied a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds. Chris Harrison-Docks chipped in with 19 points, and T.J. Price added 15 in the win before he fouled out.

Western Kentucky has done a stellar job of building up a solid offensive foundation this season, as the Hilltoppers enter Thursday's contest averaging 73.5 ppg on 43.8 percent shooting from the floor. Price has been the focal point of the offense for WKU so far, as the guard leads the team in scoring at 17.5 ppg - second in the Conference USA standings. His 5.5 rpg mark this season is second on the team to only Fant, who brings down 8.1 boards per outing. Fant checks in with 12.6 ppg on 51.1 percent shooting from the field, and Harrison-Docks rounds out a trio of double-digit scorers for the Hilltoppers at 11.7 ppg.

Florida Atlantic didn't perform badly on offense against Middle Tennessee in Saturday's conference clash. The Owls connected on 43.2 percent of their shots in the contest, but managed to only get up 44 attempts from the floor overall. Meanwhile Middle Tennessee buried 24-of-26 from the free-throw line to give the Blue Raiders an added edge. Solomon Poole scored 17 points to lead FAU in the defeat, while Marquan Botley chipped in with 11 points and C.J. Turman netted 10 for the Owls. Javier Lacunza led the visitors with six rebounds in the loss.

Poole has only played in seven games this season for FAU, but his presence has been well received since he's come on. He heads into Thursday's clash owning a team-best 14.9 ppg mark, but is shooting just 38.9 percent from the floor. Botley and Jackson Trapp, who scored only four points against Middle Tennessee, each share an 11.2 ppg average, and round out the team's trio of double-digit scorers. Florida Atlantic has notoriously struggled on the offensive side this season, averaging just 62.1 ppg - ranked 11th in Conference USA. But the team does boast a solid scoring defense, allowing only 61.5 ppg to opponents.

FAU owns a 5-1 mark at home this season, but Western Kentucky, after coming off a huge win over Old Dominion, has all the momentum needed to take the Conference USA by storm.